


Like We're Going To War

by Tamari



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Song of the Lioness - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-30
Updated: 2012-09-30
Packaged: 2017-11-19 12:46:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamari/pseuds/Tamari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is not a fairytale and she is not a princess, yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like We're Going To War

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ankhiale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ankhiale/gifts).



> A birthday fic for Alix at GL!  
> MPP Prompt #70, Secret Passageways.

"I've never been down this way," she says, her eyes flicking across the stones in a way that would look nervous, if she weren't Delia.

"It's safe," he says. "Don't you trust me?"

She smiles slightly and that's answer enough for him. Words don't really matter, since they're both liars and always have been.

His boots click on the stone and her footsteps follow him with the soft pad, pad of slippers. The stone at the end of the passageway slides aside at Alex's touch. Delia gasps but the walls swallow it up.

"One of the palace's famously well-kept secrets," he tells her with his sly grin edging the corners of his lips.

She steps inside the room, looking around at the jeweled walls. "For me?"

But he shakes his head. "No, Delia. A few other people know about it, and they'd definitely notice something missing. I thought you'd like to see all the beauty, though."

"The beauty that'll be mine someday," she says.

His breath hitches but after a pause, he nods. "Yes. Yours and Roger's."

"Yours, too." Her voice is a bit softer now, a bit gentler, because she knows what he's thinking.

"Always Roger's," Alex says.

She looks away and her gaze sweeps the glittering room. "We come from the hills," she tells him. "We are lucky for anything we get. We are honored to even be in the presence of Duke Roger."

Delia spins back to face him, her hair flying back with the sudden movement and her green eyes suddenly empty. "But oh, Alex, Alex, I don't want this. Do you? I don't know what I want."

"It is my sacred duty to put the rightful king on the throne," he says dutifully, automatically (insincerely).

But she persists, taking a step closer to him and staring at him with those empty eyes. "What do you want?"

He gives up. "You."

"Me, too," she says, and maybe she's talking about her love for him or maybe not. "Let's get out of here."


End file.
